Bill Calls for New Lie Detector Rules

A state Senate committee approved a bill last week that would bar nearly all employers from suggesting applicants take a lie detector test as a condition of employment, officials said.

The bill, written by Sen. Richard Alarcon (D-Sylmar), also would require employers that administer polygraphs, including police departments, to videotape the sessions and make them available to the applicants, Alarcon said.

“Right now, when a question arises as to the validity of polygraph tests, there is no objective evidence as to whether the test was administered appropriately,” Alarcon said. “By videotaping the tests, employers and employees will have a tool to protect themselves.”

The bill was approved by the Industrial Relations Committee and was sent to Senate Appropriations for consideration.

Current law prohibits employers from requiring that applicants take a lie detector test. Alarcon’s bill would bar employers from suggesting a person take a polygraph test.